Thursday, October 21, 2010

Extrasensory Perception and Quantum Models of Cognition

By Patrizio E. Tressoldi, Lance Storm, & Dean Radin.

The possibility that information can be acquired at a distance without the use of the ordinary senses, that is by “extrasensory perception” (ESP), is not easily accommodated by conventional neuroscientific assumptions or by traditional theories underlying our understanding of perception and cognition. The lack of theoretical support has marginalized the study of ESP, but experiments investigating these phenomena have been conducted since the mid‐19th century, and the empirical database has been slowly accumulating. Today, using modern experimental methods and meta‐analytical techniques, a persuasive case can be made that, neuroscience assumptions notwithstanding, ESP does exist. We justify this conclusion through discussion of one class of homogeneous experiments reported in 108 publications and conducted from 1974 through 2008 by laboratories around the world. Subsets of these data have been subjected to six meta‐analyses, and each shows significantly positive effects. The overall results now provide unambiguous evidence for an independently repeatable ESP effect. This indicates that traditional cognitive and neuroscience models, which are largely based on classical physical concepts, are incomplete. We speculate that more comprehensive models will require new principles based on a more comprehensive physics. The current candidate is quantum mechanics.

20 comments:

When I received the notification from the NeuroQuantology Journal today that a new issue was out, well, I reacted in the same joyous excitement I typically do. However, when I saw this paper listed in the current issue, my face just lit up. I did not have to look at the list of authors to know you were behind it, I just knew.

I have been getting a stronger and stronger feeling every day that the “when will it be enough” question will be answered much sooner rather than later. This paper comes at a great time for me as well, as I am ‘attempting’ to write a higher-education textbook based on subject of Telepathy including the origins, research findings (e.g. phenomenology, and especially observational theories).

I am wandering my way through writing two chapters right now on psi mediation and the experimental phase of psi, where I am attempting to approach current parapsychological models (e.g. memory model) of psi with current models springing up in the fields of quantum mechanics and the neurosciences.

Right now I probably have about 30 papers hiding my desk from me on various relative hypothesis and theories, a copy of your book ‘Entangled Minds’ to my left, and a copy of Harvey Irwin’s ‘An Introduction to Parapsychology’ to my right, which unfortunately fell apart all over my office yesterday because I’ve been going through it so much, as I am using it as a reference for content and a reference for structure. And I am rambling, so I will wrap up. I love the paper; you certainly made my day, and keep up the incredible work. :)

I find it fascinating that only 5-10 years ago, almost everyone were saying that entangled or coherent quantum states in biology were impossible. And now it is being discovered in photosynthesis.

Maybe in this generation progress won't be made funeral by funeral. The exposure rate of new discoveries that were supposed to be impossible can end up being so high that new fresh scientists never get to solidify their views on what is impossible anymore. I certainly hope so!

It was interesting how quantum entanglement effects are happening in biological systems like photosynthesis, micro-tubules, etc.

However, the type of energy landscape needed seems like something that would preclude these processes being involved in psi experiments.

I came away thinking that psi must be utilizing something that goes beyond quantum entanglement or our current understanding. People admit quantum theory is more a metaphor in this regard and I can agree at least to that.

before I quited smoking I was much more the "creative musician type" and had much greater ESP. I quite smoking two years ago and for some reason I have become much more "analytical" and do not have nearly the same amount of ESP......

Interesting observation, Matthew. I've noticed only one common feature among all the mediums I've seen at seances, (about 20).. They all smoke, while only 13% among the general population in Sweden smokes nowadays.

A quantum based health status measuring device is reported on in JACM. The editorial by physicist Cyril Smith talks about a paper in that issue on the "BIOSCOPE" which may also responds to distant intentionality.

Check out this new article on evidence of precognition and premonition: http://www.hplusmagazine.com/editors-blog/precognition-real-cornell-university-lab-releases-powerful-new-evidence-human-mind-can-

I thought it was great. I don't usually see articles that go into that much detail on psi phenomena, even the positive ones.

I doubt there's any genuine direct causal connection between smoking and psi experience. I am an "intuitive analyst" (I prefer not to use terms like psychic or clairvoyant) and I have never smoked or taken any drugs, not even once. I also worked with a spiritual group which included very powerful clairvoyants, and only a handful smoked. One possible explanation is that your anxiety levels may have gone up, and you are not relaxing as much. This will change neuro-physiology, and that might have some affect. Try mini-mindfulness meditations, which use breath awareness and body-awareness to bring you more present. That will certainly relax you. I use them every day.

As for the paper Dean mentions, I will take a look at it. I'd be particularly interested in the criticisms of the paper. I have been reading "Psi Wars" by Alcock Burns and Freeman, and I find the sceptics' positions very interesting. How is it that the same data can produce such polarised conclusions. Personally, I'm not worried about it, as my understanding of some psi-related phenomena is experience-based, not intellectual, but the whole 'debate' does shed light on the way human beings think and perceive the world, including the way they 'analyse' intellectual information.

Neuroscience to the rescue on this one. Read The Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origin of Knowledge by Jeremy Narby. Nicotine binds in a similar way to part of the brain as does a few other important chemicals. Amazonian shamans smoke huge quantities of tobacco to get in touch with spirit guides, who they claim have an insatiable appetite for tobacco. The said region of the brain apparently does also. Read chapter "The Mother of the Mother of Tobacco is Snake". Cool to find this connection.

Neuroscience to the rescue on this one. Read The Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origin of Knowledge by Jeremy Narby. Nicotine binds in a similar way to part of the brain as does a few other important chemicals. Amazonian shamans smoke huge quantities of tobacco to get in touch with spirit guides, who they claim have an insatiable appetite for tobacco. The said region of the brain apparently does also. Read chapter "The Mother of the Mother of Tobacco is Snake". Cool to find this connection.

See Oppenheim & Wehner "The Uncertainty Principle Determines The Nonlocality Of Quantum Mechanics" in Science 19 November 2010 # 330(full pre pub on Arxiv) This work will have broad influence and perhaps help shift some psi theory from speculative to real world via experimental design...and it's beautiful.Let's not embarrass the authors with notes from the fringe just yet.We should instead embarrass ourselves with a poem :

Ah, the Quantum Lady delivers us two the superposition of chivalry and treachery to leave us uncertain in her wake exhausted from the Lechery.